‘Investigative attention to these cases’: Trump FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino may have unfinished business with Hunter Biden, but even MAGA has had enough

Donald Trump‘s FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino just made a bold declaration—but instead of silencing critics, he may have accidentally lit a match under the very movement that once cheered his rise.

In an X post, Bongino announced a sweeping review of unresolved federal investigations, claiming he and the director decided to re-open or intensify cases that “have garnered public interest.” These include the January 6 DC pipe bombing and the Supreme Court Dobbs leak that shook the country, and the mysterious bag of cocaine found inside the West Wing, linked in the minds of some to former President Biden’s son, Hunter Biden.

Pipe bombs and cocaine — but no Epstein?

For the man who made his name as a right-wing firebrand calling out purported corruption and deep state cover-ups, Bongino’s new institutional tone feels like a betrayal to some of his most loyal followers. And they’re not being quiet about it.

One comment to Bongino’s statement didn’t hold back. The list of demands reads like a conspiracy theorist’s greatest hits, including the Epstein/Diddy lists, the REAL story of the Vegas shooting, where are all the missing kids, and who arranged to have Trump killed.

As that comment and other like it make it clear: while Bongino may be shifting focus to “official” investigations, the base is still hungry for blood, never stopping to think Bongino’s FBI isn’t investigating those cases because they’re nothing to investigate.

The Hunter MAGA link

As for Hunter, he’s long been synonymous with scandal in conservative circles. From foreign business dealings and tax controversies to the infamous laptop and substance abuse issues, the president’s son has been at the center of years of Republican outrage.

Add to that the unresolved mystery of cocaine found in the White House, discovered in July 2023 in a secure area near the Situation Room. Though no suspect was ever named, speculation ran wild, especially among those eager to tie the incident to Hunter’s past.

Bongino himself previously suggested the Biden administration wasn’t telling the full story. Bongino announcing the FBI would take another look at the cocaine in the White House suggests the Trump administration is not done scrutinizing Biden’s son.

“Epstein killed himself”—Really, Dan?

You’d think that investigating Hunter would make MAGA happy. But adding to MAGA’s newfound Bongino distrust, the deputy director recently doubled down on one hotly debated theory in modern conspiracy lore: He believes Jeffrey Epstein killed himself. That’s right—Bongino, once the go-to voice for exposing what he called the “corruption cartel,” now publicly backs the official narrative on Epstein’s death. It’s a stunning reversal that has even his staunchest MAGA allies asking: What happened to Dan?

MAGA’s patience is wearing thin

Bongino, now part of the system he once railed against, is discovering the hard truth: populist loyalty is fickle. Many of his supporters believe the FBI is still shielding elites, whether it’s Hunter skating by on drug and tax charges, or the total blackout on Epstein’s powerful client list.

The Epstein case in particular remains radioactive. Despite years of media attention, the public still hasn’t seen the full scope of Epstein’s associates—famous, wealthy, and politically connected figures alleged to be involved in a child trafficking ring. Bongino’s claim that Epstein’s suicide in a federal prison was just that—a suicide—has only added fuel to the fire.

Meanwhile, theories of attempted Trump assassinations—however wild—are gaining traction in the vacuum left by what many see as federal inaction. Instead, they see a man who just might be going soft.

Bongino says the FBI is refocusing its investigative power. But the people who helped build his platform aren’t interested in procedural justice. They want fireworks. They want the Epstein list. And they want the truth about Trump—whatever that means to them. The message from MAGA is loud and clear: “Dan, don’t go D.C. on us.”